


Granting a Fairy's Wish

by BrieCheddar, TheRev28



Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS (Video Game), ラブライブ! 虹ヶ咲学園スクールアイドル同好会 | Love Live! Nijigasaki Gakuen School Idol Doukoukai (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Death and Reincarnation, F/F, Fairy Ayumu, Fluff, Knight Setsuna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:40:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29025102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrieCheddar/pseuds/BrieCheddar, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRev28/pseuds/TheRev28
Summary: Setsuna Yuki is the Justice Archer and now the Guardian of the Forest ever since Ayumu, the Goddess of the Forest, saved her from death. Now Setsuna respects the forest and wants to repay Ayumu. She'll protect the forest from evil humans, but maybe she can do more. Maybe Ayumu deserves more.
Relationships: Uehara Ayumu/Yuuki Setsuna
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36





	1. The Forest's Purpose

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myongle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myongle/gifts).



> I, Briecheddar, Mr. Cheese, wrote this chapter. Mr. Rev wrote the other one. Hope you enjoy.

“Found one,” Setsuna Yuki said as she spotted a black rabbit nibbling at some grass on the ground. The very thought of eating made Setsuna’s stomach rumble. “Forgive me, Ayumu-san,” she said in her head before pulling out her bow. She cocked an arrow and held her breath.

Then the growling in her stomach became loud enough to startle the rabbit. Maybe thinking the growling came from a non-human predator, the rabbit twisted its head in Setsuna’s direction. She let the arrow loose, and it landed where the rabbit used to be before it scurried further into the forest.

Setsuna let out a sigh before cursing her stomach for being so hungry. Well, it’s not like Setsuna was free of blame. The other two rabbits she caught were burnt to crisps when she cooked them earlier in the day. She was terrible at cooking small animals. Larger animals, like deer, were much simpler for her. 

Not that she was a professional chef when it came to larger meats. The last time she cooked deer meat she ended up with something edible. It just resembled jerky more than a nice steak.

As she remembered the deer she had killed, a wave of guilt passed through her. Setsuna didn’t like taking from the forest now that she knew Ayumu presided over all of it. In fact, she didn’t like when  _ anyone _ came to the forest for greedy reasons. Sure, it was impossible to protect the forest from all ends. That was something only Ayumu could do.

The Justice Archer and the Goddess of the Forest, keeping the peace. Now that sounded cool, Setsuna thought.

After the deer incident, Setsuna told herself that she would only eat small animals and fruits that she could find on the ground. It didn’t help that the fruit had to ripen to the point that it’d fall off the branch, or that rabbits were quite slippery.

And had incredible hearing, Setsuna thought as her stomach growled at her angrily.

Setsuna tracked the rabbit’s footsteps as she walked further into the forest. She spotted it again, nibbling on another patch of grass. Then as if it sensed Setsuna somehow, it continued further into the forest.

“It’s going to be a while,” Setsuna silently said to her stomach, who snarled back at her as she followed her prey.

* * *

Ayumu was at the center of the forest, sitting under the tree where her essence laid inside. Her senses were elsewhere, though, as she tended to some flowers at the edge of the forest. She parted the branches of the trees above those flowers, giving them some much needed sunlight.

Another day with more responsibilities. Ayumu was happy to do them, but doing the same thing every day for hundreds of years had become a little boring. She went through the motions, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

Specifically, they were on a rather interesting human she had come across recently. 

Setsuna Yuki, the so-called Justice Archer, was passionate, headstrong, and often quite strange. Ayumu giggled at the thought of her, and suddenly the forest was filled with more energy.

“Whoops,” Ayumu said as she calmed down. Then through a squirrel’s eyes she noticed that a human was approaching the center of the forest. She took a closer look while thinking how she could divert them from reaching this inner sanctum. 

She saw Setsuna, chasing… Yuu?

Setsuna must have been hunting again. Well, hunting in itself was fine, but maybe Ayumu could provide food for Setsuna in a different way. With that thought, she sent a signal to Yuu, telling the small rabbit to come to where Ayumu was.

It had been a long time since any human had been allowed underneath the largest tree in the center of the forest. But knowing Setsuna, she could bring no harm to it.

Ayumu simply smiled as she waited for company to arrive.

* * *

For a while now, the rabbit had just been moving without stopping to eat. Maybe it had noticed her presence, Setsuna thought. But she was dead set on testing her new and improved cooking techniques on this rabbit.

The rays of light that weaved their ways in through the foliage above grew more sparse as Setsuna travelled deeper into the forest. All signs of human activity had vanished. It was quiet, but not in an eerie way. It was peaceful.

Then the rabbit stopped at the foot of a tremendous tree. Light seeped through its leaves in a way that illuminated the ground beneath its mighty branches. Setsuna had never been this deep into the forest, so it was the first time she had seen it. She marveled at the sight until she was forcefully reminded of her hunger.

The rabbit was a perfect, still target. Setsuna drew her bow.

“Wait a second, Setsuna-chan,” a familiar voice said from behind her. Setsuna spun around.

Ayumu stood there, in that breathtaking white and pink dress. Translucent wings popped out from behind her figure. Her headdress and necklace, both made of flowers, seemed to glow with color, even in the relative darkness.

With a wave of Ayumu’s hand, the branches of the tree arranged themselves, creating dim spotlights that lit the ground beneath the pair’s feet.

“A-Ayumu-san. It’s nice to see you again,” Setsuna said, almost entranced by Ayumu’s beauty.

“Likewise.” The rabbit Setsuna was hunting ran up to Ayumu and leaped into her arms. “I see you’ve met Yuu-chan.”

“Yuu-chan?”

“Ah, she’s just a rabbit that has been very friendly with me after she strolled into the center of the forest.” Ayumu recounted some stories between her and Yuu, and Setsuna listened, thinking about how lucky it was that she didn’t kill one of Ayumu’s friends. Then Setsuna’s stomach grew tired of listening and let out a growl. “Oh?”

“S-Sorry.”

“You must be hungry. I’ll be back in a second.” Ayumu placed Yuu down and flew up into the trees. Setsuna, still feeling guilty about hunting Yuu, knelt down next to her and apologized profusely. Yuu responded by rubbing up against Setsuna, who couldn’t help but think about how cute the rabbit was.

Ayumu arrived with various fruits from different trees and gave them to Setsuna. She happily watched as Setsuna devoured the fruits. After Setsuna’s hunger was satiated, she suddenly felt guilty.

_ These weren’t just fruits on the ground. They were picked. Well, since Ayumu-san was the one to give me them, it’s fine, I think. _

As those thoughts ran through Setsuna’s head, Ayumu watched. Then, she was reminded of what she saw while watching Setsuna earlier.

“Setsuna-chan, can you tell me about… I think it was called ‘cooking?’”

“Hmm? What about it?”

“Well, does it make food taste better? I’ve seen a lot of humans cook meat over fires. Including you.” Setsuna blushed as she remembered her previous failures when it came to cooking rabbits. So Ayumu had seen all of that, huh?

“W-Well, it does make it taste better to humans. In fact, we have to cook the meat in order to eat it.” Setsuna sighed before continuing. “But if you mess up when cooking, sometimes you can’t even eat the meat.”

“Ah, so that means… you’re pretty bad at cooking, huh?” As Setsuna made surprised and flustered noises, Ayumu giggled. “I saw you throw away a couple rabbits you cooked earlier.”

As Setsuna heard that, she felt a pang of guilt in her stomach.

“I-I’m so sorry I wasted the rabbits!” she yelled as she bowed before Ayumu. Seeing that, Ayumu let out a small chuckle, then pet Setsuna’s head lightly.

“It wasn’t a waste, Setsuna-chan. You learned from your mistakes, right? Now you know a little more about how to cook rabbits. Your intentions were in the right place, so it’s not a problem.” Setsuna looked up at Ayumu and saw her calm smile, and her feelings of guilt were washed away.

“So, you aren’t angry that I hunt the animals?”

“Of course not. You can take as much as you need.” Hearing that, Setsuna’s mind wandered. 

What about the rest of the people in the kingdom? They weren’t as concerned with the notions of justice and honor that Setsuna was. They might storm the forest and take anything and everything they can get their hands on, with no remorse for the destruction they would leave in their wake. Setsuna couldn’t bear to stand the forest, let alone Ayumu, get hurt for selfish purposes.

She brought up this doomsday scenario to Ayumu, who seemed calm even after hearing about how greedy the other humans were.

“That would be a bit regrettable, but as long as they use those trees for their needs, I am fine with it.” Setsuna’s eyes widened in shock.

“What? You would just let them come here and take everything for their selfish needs? If I had your powers, I would punish the people who dared to do so.” Ayumu shook her head and smiled at Setsuna, as if she was looking at a young child who knew nothing.

“I would never harm humans,” Ayumu said before turning around and looking up at the leaves above. “As long as they have a good reason for what they’re doing and avoid wasting, as much as possible, then it is fine.”

Ayumu took a long pause before turning back to Setsuna. 

“After all, the forest’s purpose is to give to others.”

Setsuna had never thought of it like that. The plants and animals all grew to help others, whether they be humans or other animals. And Ayumu was in charge of that system, helping it thrive so that others could thrive alongside it. 

Setsuna’s respect and admiration for Ayumu multiplied in magnitude as she thought more about those words.

“As long as this tree remains safe,” Ayumu said as she touched the tree that bound her to the forest, “then this forest will continue to grow and provide for others. As it has for hundreds of years.”

She smiled before continuing, “Though, it has been a long time since anyone has made it here without being guided or brought here by me. You should thank Yuu-chan.” Setsuna did as Ayumu asked, and Yuu nuzzled against Setsuna’s leg. Then she looked back up at Ayumu.

Setsuna walked up to the tree and watched her. Ayumu smiled at the tree and ran her hand along its trunk. Her eyes were full of longing and nostalgia. It was as if she was remembering all of the things she and the tree had been through over all the years.

Setsuna didn’t know that Ayumu and the tree were one and the same. She didn’t know that Ayumu was replenishing her energy to stay in the same form that Setsuna saw her in.

Setsuna only knew that Ayumu looked beautiful, incredible... and dreadfully alone. 

Humans had seldom ever been to this part of the forest. Setsuna wondered if Ayumu revealed herself to them as well. In any case, taking care of the forest by yourself, day in and day out, must make you feel lonely.

“Ayumu-san, do you… ever feel lonely here? Setsuna asked, probing to learn more about her guess. Ayumu responded with a tilt of her head.

“Of course not! I have Yuu-chan, and Sasuke to spend time with.” She raised an arm, and a large snake appeared out of the darkness and flitted its tongue out at Setsuna. Ayumu smiled, but Setsuna could sense that something was different from her usual demeanor.

“And now I have you, Setsuna-chan. Right?” 

With those words ringing in her head, Setsuna had found a way to pay Ayumu back for all she had done. When she tried saying it in her head, the words seemed almost paradoxical but, at the same time, felt right.

_ I’ll protect Ayumu-san from people and loneliness at the same time. _

“Is it okay if I come here to visit you sometimes?” Setsuna asked.

Ayumu paused. She knew it was foolish to become attached to humans. They were supposed to be companions in passing. People to guide. People to share the forest with. People to spend a little time with whenever they entered the forest. 

But Setsuna was offering to spend time with Ayumu. Of her own volition, with no ulterior motives.

Ayumu knew how much it hurt to get attached to someone, only for them to pass away. It had happened between her and a human friend, so long ago. Ayumu would live as long as the tree they were next to still stood. Setsuna was just another human. The lasting pain wouldn’t be worth the momentary friendship.

But then she saw Setsuna’s gaze, fiery, and passionate, and caring. All of the things she had learned to expect from Setsuna. So she caved.

“You can come here as often as you like,” Ayumu said with a calm smile. She wondered if she made the right choice, but recalled her own words, as if she was using them as a reason to justify her decision.

_ After all, the forest’s purpose is to give to others. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a collab from Rev and me for myon's bday. Honestly... it's pretty much a 3-way collab coz myong provided us with so many details and ideas... she's very creative and inspired... and the story about Ayumu saving Setsuna from death will come from her maybe eventually... ANYWAY~
> 
> Big thanks to myon for SetsuAyu in general. Please follow her if you haven't.
> 
> Also thanks to Rev for inspiring me to write this one.


	2. A Forest and Her Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens after a lifetime spent with a Goddess? What does one human lifespan mean to an immortal? After an eternity alone, seven short decades of companionship mean more than Ayumu can say. But what happens when that chapter comes to a close?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by TheRev28!

Setsuna Yuki, long known as “the Justice Archer” throughout the kingdom, slowly made her way through a very familiar forest. Her steps were slower than they had once been, but after almost seven decades visiting this magical place, she still walked with confidence. Without even having to think about it, her feet knew where to go, and that allowed Setsuna to admire the beauty around her. Even after so long, the forest still held wonder. A black rabbit, the tips of its ears stained green from frolicking in the grass, hopped across her path. She smiled to herself, wondering what generation of Yuu-chan that was.

As she ventured deeper into the heart of the woods, the gentle sunlight cascading through the trees took on a more ethereal quality. Despite the trees being thicker here, it was brighter than it ever was at the wood’s edge. Setsuna felt lighter here. The last few decades seemed to melt away from her aging body. Her steps became more sure, her breathing less labored, and her posture a little more upright. The weight of time didn’t hurt as much.

Finally, she broke through a line of trees and into a clearing near the heart of the forest. At its center stood her destination: the grandest, most magnificent tree she had ever, and  _ would _ ever, see. It was centuries old, perhaps even millenia. Its trunk measured a good twenty-five feet in diameter, and Setsuna couldn’t even begin to fathom how tall it was. 

A gentle smile formed on her face as she gazed up at her oldest friend.

Confident steps brought her to the base of the tree. Once there, she placed a hand on the bark, feeling the familiar roughness, just as she had done thousands of times throughout her life. Her smile grew, and she felt an idle tear slip down her cheek.

“Hello Ayumu,” Setsuna said, though her voice was a pale facsimile of what it once had been.

There was a brief, subdued glow behind her.

“Hello Setsuna.”

Another happy tear fell as Setsuna turned around. Her oldest friend stood before her, still as beautifully radiant as the day they met almost seventy years ago. She still wore her light, white dress that never showed any hints of stains; vines with flowers still wrapped her lower legs; and the gorgeous crown of flowers still adorned her head. She looked exactly the same as she had the day they met—a far cry from all the ways age had taken its toll on Setsuna’s body.

“I’m glad you were still able to make the journey out here,” Ayumu said, smiling. 

Setsuna chuckled weakly as she slowly sat on the ground with her back against the tree. Her knees gave a little resistance, but she eventually got there. In a flash, Ayumu appeared next to her. Setsuna laid her head on her friend’s shoulder.

“As if anything could keep me from seeing you again.” She had to pause as a series of long, painful coughs wracked her body. Through the pain, though, she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. When the coughing fit subsided, she took a long, shaky breath. “Sorry about that. I guess even here, all that effort takes a toll.”

“I only wish my magic could do more for you,” Ayumu said in a small voice. “The forest is supposed to give to others.”

“Just being here with you is more than enough.” 

“It’s not, though! I can’t stop—”

“Shhh, none of that now. I’m just here for one of my visits like always. So tell me, how has the forest been since I was here last?”

They spent a while talking about the forest. As the spirit of the great tree at its heart, Ayumu was intimately familiar with all of the happenings, be they animal friends finding mates, new humans passing by, anything. And as the forest’s self-proclaimed defender for most of her life, Setsuna took an equally strong interest.

“Oh! I saw Yuu-chan scamper across my path on the way here,” Setsuna said at one point. “She looked good and healthy. What generation are we at, now?”

Ayumu let out a little laugh. “I’m honestly not sure anymore. I stopped keeping track at some point. They’re all just Yuu-chan to me.”

“Well, I hope she finds a good mate and we get even more little Yuu-chan’s running around soon.”

“I’ll make sure she does.”

Setsuna smiled. “Good, good. And make sure she has somewhere warm this winter! I know we’re still a ways off, but my bones tell me we might be in for a cold one this year.”

“Your bones have never steered us wrong before. I’ll keep an eye on her, don’t you worry.”

A wave of exhaustion hit Setsuna all at once, and her eyes drooped close for a moment. She fought it back and opened her eyes again, but part of her knew, deep down, that she wouldn’t be able to fight it much longer. Without saying anything, she repositioned herself so that she was lying down on her back. She used Ayumu’s thighs as pillows and looked up into her best friend’s face. 

Best friend. Oldest friend. Closest companion. None of those titles felt enough. Even the titles she dared not think about never felt like enough after seventy years together. 

She noticed the quizzical look on Ayumu’s face, so she smiled back.

“Don’t mind me, Pomu,” Setsuna said, but she could hear the weakness in her own voice. “I’m just feeling a bit tired, so I thought I’d lie down, take a little nap. I’ll keep you company some more when I wake up, alright? I know how lonely you get when I’m not around.”

A tiny crack broke through the calm façade of Ayumu’s expression. It was there and gone in a flash, but Setsuna knew what to look for. She knew Ayumu’s face probably better than her own. Ayumu tried to cover up her momentary lapse with a smile, but there was still pain in those timeless eyes of hers.

“It  _ is _ terribly dull around here without you, Nacchan.” Her voice was perfectly level, and that was a tell on its own. “You’ve made the past few decades the best I’ve ever had. I—” 

Her breath hitched as if the words she wanted to say got caught in her throat. Setsuna smiled and reached up with a shaking hand to cup her soulmate’s face.

“I know. I’ve always known.”

Her hand fell, and she closed her eyes.

Setsuna Yuki, the Justice Archer, Guardian of the Forest, drifted off.

Ayumu finally let herself cry.

Somewhere in the forest, a sapling sprouted.

Time passed by in an emotionless blur for Ayumu. The outside world changed, but none of that change ever quite reached the forest itself. It, like she, was timeless. The only distraction in the early years was a young tree, freshly sprouted, trying its best to grow. In a forest as ancient as this, new trees seldom found enough light and nutrients to live to their full potential. This one, however, showed promise. 

Ayumu took care to cultivate its growth. After a few decades of care, she felt reasonably confident that this tree could continue on its own. While she enjoyed a certain amount of meddling, she knew at some point, things had to grow their own way.

Through it all, she tried to keep the memory of her most cherished companion alive. It was hard sometimes. It meant remembering all their moments together, both happy and sad. Thankfully, the happy outweighed the sad by a significant margin. But she could also never forget their final moments together. She could never forget the weakness that left her unable to say the only three words she ever wanted to say.

Centuries later, that once-tiny sapling had grown to one of the mightiest trees in the forest. And on a wholly uninteresting day, just like any other, everything changed.

Setsuna woke up.

More accurately, her spirit woke up inside the great tree. She felt just like she remembered in the prime of her youth, but with all the memories of her past life. She didn’t know how or why, but she knew that she was now the spirit of this tree. 

It took some practice, but Setsuna eventually learned how to manifest a physical form. When she looked at her reflection in a pool of still water, she saw the young knight she had once been stare back. A single tear slid down her cheek and into the pool, the ripples breaking the reflection.

Setsuna Yuki, the Guardian of the Forest, slowly made her way through the forest that was now her eternal home. Her steps were quicker than they had been at the end, all those centuries ago, and she walked with confidence. Without even having to think about it, her feet still knew where to go, and that allowed Setsuna to admire the beauty around her. Even after so long, the forest still held wonder. A black rabbit, the tips of its ears stained green from frolicking in the grass, hopped across her path. She smiled to herself, wondering if this one was named “Yuu-chan” as well.

Finally, she broke through a line of trees and into a clearing near the heart of the forest. At its center stood her destination: the grandest, most magnificent tree she had ever, and  _ would _ ever, see. It was easily millenia old now, but Setsuna finally understood its full immensity. She finally had a point of comparison, after all.

A gentle smile formed on her face as she gazed up at her oldest friend.

There was a flash of light, and as it faded, it was replaced by the figure of a young woman. She still wore her light, white dress that never showed any hints of stains; vines with flowers still wrapped her lower legs; and the gorgeous crown of flowers still adorned her head. She looked exactly the same as she had the day they met. 

The initial look of confusion slowly gave way to recognition. Setsuna couldn’t help but smile.

“Hi Pomu. I’m sorry I left you alone for so long. But I don’t think I’m going anywhere, now.”

Tear’s immediately welled up in Ayumu’s eyes, and she rushed forward, engulfing Setsuna in a crushing hug. She buried her face in the crook of Setsuna’s neck, unable to believe what was happening. She let herself cry again, the first time since that day so many years before.

Setsuna let her cry.

Finally, Ayumu pulled back, still not quite believing what her eyes were telling her.

“How?”

Setsuna smiled. “I always liked to say I was the guardian of this forest. Well it’s official now. I’m with you for as long as our two trees stand.”

She pulled Ayumu in for another hug, this one much more gentle but no less filled with care and compassion. With her face once again buried in Setsuna’s neck, Ayumu finally let herself say the words she had always wanted to.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. I always have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I _really_ thought about ending this on the line: "Somewhere in the forest, a sapling sprouted." But then I figured myon would have killed me (which she later confirmed), so I added the happy ending we had discussed. I'm glad I did.
> 
> Huge props to mr cheese for writing the first chapter of this. It really sets up the emotional context that (hopefully) made this an impactful ending. Obviously a lot can happen in a lifetime, and maybe one day, that'll get explored more. For now, you get the beginning and the end.


End file.
